This invention relates generally to ice cream sandwich machines and, more particularly, is directed to an ice cream sandwich machine of the type in which an index wheel having a plurality of pockets therein transfers the formed ice cream sandwiches to a conveyor assembly.
Ice cream sandwich machines for automatically and continuously producing completed ice cream sandwiches are well known in the art, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,794,404; 3,119,353; 3,316,860; and 3,834,119.
In such machines, ice cream is extruded through the end of a vertically-oriented nozzle. At the same time, wafers stacked on inclined trays on opposite sides of the nozzle are continuously supplied to form with the extruded ice cream, ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwich consisting of two wafers with extruded ice cream therebetween is formed and carried to an output conveyor by means of an index wheel positioned below the nozzle and having a plurality of pockets therein which receive the wafers and ice cream in the form of a sandwich.
The index wheel is intermittently rotated to position the ice cream sandwiches adjacent a conveyor assembly which carries the finished ice cream sandwiches to an ice cream sandwich wrapping assembly of the machine. Generally, lugs are secured to the conveyor assembly and communicate with the index wheel to engage and eject the ice cream sandwiches from the pockets of the index wheel. The sandwichs are thus caused to fall onto an endless conveyor belt of the conveyor assembly which is positioned immediately adjacent the index wheel.
Ideally, each formed ice cream sandwich should be of an identical configuration; that is, the wafers should be even with each other with ice cream centered in the middle thereof. However, due to various misalignments and the like in the ice cream sandwich machine, defective ice cream sandwiches may be formed, particularly during start-up and initial alignment of the machine. For example, the wafers may be off center with each other and/or with respect to the ice cream therebetween, the ends of the sandwich may be smashed or the ends of a wafer may be broken off.
In the case of defective ice cream sandwiches, as enumerated above, it is desirable that these sandwiches be quickly and readily removed from the machine prior to entering the wrapping assembly.
Although various ejecting conveyor assemblies are known, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,992; 3,576,189; 3,655,025; 3,724,638; 3,880,751; 4,004,681 and 4,230,216, each of these mechanisms is relatively complex and cannot easily and readily be used to eject defective ice cream sandwiches in an ice cream sandwich machine.